Things to do in Detroit
Detroit's main museums lie within the Cultural District, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Motown Historical Museum. Downtown are the skyscraping Renaissance Center and the public spaces Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. Dearborn is home to The Henry Ford, celebrating this legendary US inventor and car pioneer. Bloomfield Hills holds Arts and Crafts heritage in the shape of Cranbrook House. Most museums are open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, later at weekends.
Museums and Galleries
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1. Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History - Museums and Galleries
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The domed Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit's Cultural District recounts the African American experience from pre-history through slavery to modern times. Displays include Stories in Stained Glass, celebrating African contributions to the USA via dance and music.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$8; concessions US$5; under 3s free
Opening hours
Tue-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 1pm-5pm
Address
315, E Warren Avenue, Detroit 48201
Telephone
+1 313 494 5800
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2. Detroit Institute of Arts - Museums and Galleries
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One of America's largest art museums, the Detroit Institute of Arts in the Cultural District features Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry mural and Vincent van Gogh's Self Portrait. Graphic, Native American, Oceanic, and Islamic art all feature in over 100 galleries.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$8; seniors US$6; 6-17 year olds US$4; under 6s free
Opening hours
Wed-Thu 10am-4pm; Fri 10am-10pm; Sat & Sun 10am-5pm
Address
5200, Woodward Avenue, Detroit 48202
Telephone
+1 313 833 7900
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3. Dossin Great Lakes Museum - Museums and Galleries
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The Dossin Great Lakes Museum, on Belle Isle in the Detroit River, explores local maritime history. The museum contains the Gothic Room from the City of Detroit III, the Miss Pepsi hydroplane, and the anchor from the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Sat & Sun 11am-4pm
Address
100, Strand on Belle Isle, Detroit 48207
Telephone
+1 313 852 4051
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4. Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit - Museums and Galleries
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Set in an unadorned former car dealership in Detroit's Cultural District, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAD) displays the city's rawest artworks. There is a changing programme of exhibitions, such as Words Fail Me, exploring the entanglement between visual art and language.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Wed, Sat & Sun 11am-5pm; Thu & Fri 11am-8pm
Address
4454, Woodward Avenue, Detroit MI 48201
Telephone
+1 313 832 6622
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5. Arab American National Museum - Museums and Galleries
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Detroit's Arab American National Museum is set in Dearborn, America's largest Arab American community. It documents Arab culture and contributions to American society. The Community Courtyard's fountain and ornate tiling is a backdrop to exhibits about maths and art.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$6; concessions US$3; under 6s free
Opening hours
Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 12pm-5pm
Address
13624, Michigan Avenue, Detroit 48126
Telephone
+1 313 582 2266
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6. The Henry Ford & Greenfield Village - Museums and Galleries
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Based on car pioneer Henry Ford's private collection, The Henry Ford & Greenfield Village includes hundreds of cars and planes, including the limousine in which President John F Kennedy was assassinated. Greenfield Village houses historic buildings from around the world.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Henry Ford Museum: US$15; seniors US$14; 5-12 yrs US$11; under-5s free.Greenfield Village: US$22; seniors US$21; 5-12 yrs US$16; under-5s free
Opening hours
Henry Ford Museum: Daily 9:30am-5pm;Greenfield Village: mid Apr-late Oct: 9.30am-5pm; Nov-Dec: Fri-Sun 9.30am-5pm; early Jan-mid Apr: closed
Address
20900, Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, Detroit 48124
Telephone
+1 313 982 6001
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7. Detroit Historical Museum - Museums and Galleries
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The anchor of the Cultural District, the Detroit Historical Museum recounts the city's past. Exhibits recreate Detroit's cobbled streets, 19th-century stores, a car assembly line, toy trains, and a fur trading post from the 17th century.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$6; concessions US$4; under 5s and members free
Opening hours
Wed-Fri 9:30am-3pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12pm-5pm
Address
5401, Woodward Avenue, Detroit 48202
Telephone
+1 313 833 1805
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8. Motown Historical Museum - Museums and Galleries
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In a humble central Detroit home, musical history was made. The Motown Historical Museum is now housed under the famous Hitsville USA sign. Tour Studio A, where Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and the Jackson 5 all recorded in the 1960s.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$10; concessions US$8
Opening hours
Jul-Aug: Mon-Sat 10am-6pmSep-Jun: Tue-Sat 10am-6pm
Address
2648, West Grand Boulevard, Detroit 48208
Telephone
+1 313 875 2264
Attractions
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9. Heidelberg Project - Attractions
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The destitute Detroit neighbourhood of Heidelberg Street was transformed by local artist Tyree Guyton into controversial urban art via the Heidelberg Project. Several blocks have been brightly painted and turned into art installations with the help of local children.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
24 hours daily
Address
Heidelberg Street, Detroit
Telephone
+1 313 267 1622
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10. Detroit Zoo - Attractions
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The Detroit Zoo houses animals from around the globe among 125 acres of landscaped grounds in Royal Oak. The Arctic Ring of Life features diving polar bears and seals visible from a 70-foot-long underwater viewing tunnel.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$11; concessions US$9; 2-14 year olds US$7; under 2s free
Opening hours
Labor Day-end of Oct: 10am-5pm; Nov-end of Mar: 10am-4pm; Apr-Labor Day 9am-5pm (Wed in Jul & Aug until 8pm)
Address
8450, West 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, Detroit 48067
Telephone
+1 248 541 5717
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11. Holocaust Memorial Center - Attractions
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Detroit's Holocaust Memorial Center was opened to the public in 1984 as a place where one can visit and contemplate that momentous historical event. A visit provides both a chastening demonstration of man's capacity for cruelty and a heartening reminder of the bravery of those who stand up against these powers.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Suggested donation $10
Opening hours
Sun-Thu 9.30am-5pm; Fri 9.30am-3pm
Address
28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, USA
Telephone
+1 248 553 2400
Transport
Exit I-696 at Orchard Lake Rd. Turn north. The Holocaust Memorial Center is located on the west side of the road just north of Twelve Mile Rd.
Website
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12. Renaissance Center - Attractions
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The most recognizable building in Detroit's skyline, the RenCen, as it's known, is the headquarters of General Motors (GM). The building houses the GM World car museum, including vintage Chevrolet and Pontiac vehicles - and the Wintergarden shopping arcade.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
GM Showroom: Mon & Tue 9am-5pm; Wed-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat 9am-5pm
Address
Renaissance Center, Detroit 48243
Telephone
+1 313 567 3126
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13. Cranbrook House & Gardens - Attractions
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Set in Detroit's Bloomfield Hills, Cranbrook House & Gardens forms the focus of the Cranbrook Arts and Crafts campus, which has instructed artists since 1904. Highlights include the Saarinen-designed buildings and 40-acres of landscaped gardens.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
House & gardens: US$10; concessions US$8Gardens: US$6; seniors US$5
Opening hours
House: tour hours vary (please contact Cranbrook)Garden: May-Labor Day Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm; Labor Day-Sep daily 11am-3pm;Oct Sat & Sun 11am-3pm; Nov-Apr closed
Address
39221, Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, Detroit 48303
Telephone
+1 248 645 3000
Special things to do
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14. Campus Martius Park - Special things to do
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Campus Martius Park, set in downtown Detroit, was once a disused marsh area. Locals use their laptops with the free wireless internet access, against the backdrop of granite waterwalls. There's also an ice-skating rink in the winter months.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
24 hours daily
Address
Detroit 300 Conservancy, One Campus Martius, Detroit 48226
Telephone
+ 1 313 962 0101
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15. Hart Plaza - Special things to do
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Downtown Detroit's favourite plaza occupies 14 acres of riverside. Public artworks include The Fist, an homage to boxer Joe Louis, and the Son Memorial Fountain by Isamu Noguchi. The plaza is popular with outdoor music festivals, including September's Jazz Festival.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
24 hours daily
Address
Jefferson Avenue, Detroit 48226
Telephone
+1 313 877 8077
Transport
Financial District People Mover station
